Garnet & Amber
by XO'MagickMoon'OX
Summary: After Kohaku awakes from her one hundred year slumber and meets up with the new Shuichiro, Koryu finds his feelings for her spiraling out of control. [KoryuxKohaku]
1. Chapter 1

**Garnet & Amber** …

_XO'MagickMoon'OX_

* * *

**Upon Awakening …**

Koryu sat perched atop the roof of the Kudo house, watching Kohaku tend to her morning chores, the same chores she used to do a hundred years ago: water the plants, trim the hedges, feed the birds … blah, blah, blah. Koryu stared down at the angel and cringed when he saw her wrap her arms around the seventeen-year old Shuichiro as he came out to greet her.

_Oh, how she INFURIATES me, _he thought bitterly. _Damn perky, little pain-in-the-ass angel. _

But even as Koryu felt his insides knot in – what was it? _Envy_? – he couldn't help but smile thoughtfully at the sight of her happiness.

He groaned and put his head in his hands. _What's happening to me? _

Why did he feel this way? Why did he feel _alone_? Betrayed? Pained, even?

Koryu had waited one hundred years for that bubbleheaded angel, and now that she was back it was 'Shuichiro this' and 'Shuichiro that' and 'Only if it will make Shuichiro happy'. Why? Why didn't she care about _him_?

Then again, why would she? All he ever did was tease and torment her, and then show nothing but glee at the sight of her misery. It would only make sense that she wouldn't give a damn about him.

But then again, when it came to matters of the heart, nothing made sense.

Koryu huffed as Kohaku's silvery laugh echoed through the air. The demon looked down to see Kohaku and Shuichiro holding hands, walking through the garden as the angel pointed out everything that she had done to improve the foliage and make the overall beauty of the garden thrive.

Koryu had had enough. He stood up from his crouching position and unfurled his ink-black wings, the feathers gleaming in the morning sun. He took to the sky and flew away, far away … as far away from Kohaku as his heart would allow.

Which lead him to the park just about ten minutes from the Kudo residence.

The park was heavily laden with trees, cherry blossom and wisteria trees, mostly. There were duck ponds and flowers, which bloomed beautifully in the spring, painting the park with colorful rainbows of pink and purple and yellow and blue. Now it was early fall, and the weather was changing, going from the smothering heat of summer to the crisp air of autumn.

Koryu liked this park because it was big, and it was easy to find peaceful solitude among the silent trees. As he neared the ground, fortunately unseen by any humans, he transformed from his traditional black robes to a black sweater and jeans. Normally, he would have worn a hat to cover his pointed ears, but the park seemed to be relatively empty today, and avoiding the bothersome humans would be easy. His wings faded before disappearing entirely as his feet touched the grass.

This was the best place to come for quiet contemplation when his emotions seemed to carry him to states of mind that he would rather stay away from, states of mind such as confusion, sorrow, longing, and pain. All of these states of mind were spurred from one irritating angel.

Koryu remembered the day he had first met Kohaku. Even though it had been nearly two thousand years ago, he remembered it like it was yesterday. They had both been young, only around two hundred years old (which, in the life of an immortal, can be seen as young as twenty years old). Koryu had been accompanying his uncle, Satan, to a bridge meeting, and Kohaku had been with Hisui, the now-ex-archangel of Wind. Immediately Koryu had been drawn to Kohaku's innocent face, her angelic purity, her inquiring amber eyes … she had been the perfect target for his bullying.

So innocent, so naïve, so unprepared to be shoved into a nearby pond, after from which she had emerged, soaking yet, and sobbing uncontrollably. What a baby. Koryu hadn't even felt the slightest bit of remorse for his prank, and never did for any of them after that. From that point on, he had made it his goal everyday to somehow make Kohaku cry in that babyish way that she did. It was utterly hysterical.

At first, he had just seen her as a toy, someone to occupy himself with on those days where he had nothing to do. After the first few centuries, he had grown to see her as somewhat of a friend, gradually building one of those love/hate relationships.

But as time wore on, his feelings began to grow. Eventually, he came to see his evolved feelings for the angel as a crush, an attraction to her innocent nature, her divine purity, her naïve vulnerability, her subtle need to be protected. He found his heart melt each time she smiled that bright smile. But, the only way he could express his feelings, he found, was through bullying her. Stupid as it sounded, it made some sort of sense to him.

And because Koryu always bullied her, Kohaku never suspected his true feelings for her, nor did she return the feelings. The only emotion she was sure she ever felt for that arrogant, garnet-eyed demon was hate, an absolute _loathing_.

But Koryu had never minded this. He had been certain that no one would ever take Kohaku away from him, and he'd thought he'd never have to worry about losing her to someone else. Of course, he'd never planned on Kohaku meeting Shuichiro, and he'd definitely never planned on her falling in love with him.

But one hundred years ago, he himself had been too engrossed in the human, or rather, the soul leaking out of the human, to be jealous of Shuichiro and Kohaku. But, he had been pained when Kohaku had been crushed after the human's death, had been pained when she was punished by God, and had been pained when she was encased in a tree for one hundred years. He'd missed her … oh, how he'd _missed _her over that long century.

He'd often visited the wisteria tree she was trapped in, gently brushing it with his fingertips, and talking to the sleeping angel inside, knowing full well that she couldn't hear him. The rest of his time had been spent training and growing stronger so that he could always stay in his original form instead of shrinking during the day like he used to. Now he was big all of the time.

Like now, as the afternoon sun sat high in the sky, he was big, when – just years ago – he would've been in his chibi form. Now he was powerful enough … he was good enough that he could stay in his original form.

But, no matter how good or powerful he was, he'd never be good enough for Kohaku.

She loved Shuichiro, not him.

Ah, hell, she had waited one hundred years just for that human to be reincarnated again! _One hundred years _just to be with him again.

Koryu felt his heart ache.

But why? Why did he feel this way? He was a demon, nephew of Satan himself. How the hell had he ever managed to fall in lo – er – _become attracted to _that … that …

"That bubbleheaded, blonde-haired, big-eyed …" Koryu began to rant, kicking a nearby tree angrily. He drew a sharp breath, muttering a curse, as a pang shot through his leg. Tears rolled down his cheeks from the pain in his heart now doubled with the pain in his foot. "That … that …" His will began to fail, his anger at the angel ebbing, despite his desire to hate Kohaku. "That beautiful, innocent, sweet …" he continued through sobs, "angelic, light-hearted girl."

He fell to his knees, his right forearm pressed against the trunk of the tree he had kicked. He leaned his forehead against his arm, his head bowed so that his tears fell to the grass. "Why?" he cried. "Why do you love _him_? Why … Why not me?"

He needed to get away from Kohaku. As far away as he could. He needed to forget her for his pain to either disappear …

Or numb his heart until he couldn't feel anything anymore … not even the pain.

He transformed back into his traditional garb as his wings sprouted from his back. He took off again, flying higher and higher until he seemed to be just a black speck to those on the ground. He needed to fly high enough so that he could travel without being seen by the humans.

He wasn't coming back. Not until the pain was gone.

---

Kohaku held out her birdseed-filled hand to the bluebirds nesting in a tree in Shuichiro's backyard. They hungrily accepted the birdseed, singing their thanks to the smiling angel.

"You're welcome!" she responded to their chirps.

Once the birds had finished, Kohaku looked around. It was strangely quiet. Just then, it dawned on her that she had not seen Koryu in days … or had it been weeks? She'd figured that after a hundred years of not having her around, he'd jump on every chance to annoy her to no end.

But he wasn't there. He hadn't made an entrance for quite some time now. And as much as Kohaku hated to admit it …

She was worried.

But her concern was temporarily put on hold as she heard Shuichiro open the front door. He was home from school. She ran to greet him but stopped dead as her eyes fell upon the scene before her. Shuichiro was smiling and laughing, his fingers laced with those of another girl as they walked, hand in hand, towards the backyard.

Kohaku immediately ran back outside and transformed from her angel appearance to one that was more human-like. Then she quieted her racing heart and put on the most welcoming face she could.

Why was he with that girl?

_Don't worry, Kohaku_,the angel told herself. _He'll fall for you soon enough._

After all, Shuichiro was human, and he was only seventeen years old. Kohaku couldn't expect him to fall in love with her right away. It wasn't natural. He needed to date other girls first; he needed to live his life as any normal person would.

The old Shuichiro hadn't fallen for her right away. Why should it be any different with this Shuichiro? If she and him were, indeed, _destined _to be together, Kohaku shouldn't worry about a little competition. She'd win out in the end … right?


	2. Chapter 2

**Garnet & Amber**

_XO'MagickMoon'OX_

* * *

**Heartbroken …**

Koryu flew over the rooftops of Japan, the land below him blanketed with a pale blue. Next to nighttime, this was his favorite time of day, those hours just before dawn when the night sky is washed with light, turning it a dusty blue. The still-sleeping world is painted with a soft, divine light, and all is peaceful and still. He loved this time.

Soon he neared the Kudo residence. How long had it been? Thirty years? It seemed like an eternity. He hadn't set foot within twenty miles of the Kudo property since leaving those many years ago. He had set out to relieve the pain in his heart … and he'd succeeded.

Sort of.

The pain was no longer insufferable, but bearable, tolerable enough to the point that he was sure he could see Shuichiro and Kohaku together without his heart aching.

And finally he could return to his normal routine of bullying the angel he missed so much.

But as he neared the Kudo residence, something didn't feel right. He shivered, and it wasn't because of the crisp October breeze. Something was wrong. He was sure of it.

He landed softly on the cool, dewy grass, his wings disappearing as he did so. The breeze ruffled his silky raven hair and blew it around his face. He pushed it from in front of his garnet eyes to better survey the area. All was still, just like the rest of the neighborhood.

So why did he still feel like something was terribly wrong?

"Koryu?"

The startled demon turned suddenly upon hearing the familiar voice. Kohaku sat in the shadows on the porch, her arms wrapped tightly around her shivering body. She watched him with amber eyes, sparkling with surprise.

Koryu smirked and folded his arms. "Hey, bubblehead!" he said softly.

Kohaku stood. "What are you doing here? W-Where have you been?"

"I took a little vacation," he responded nonchalantly. "And now that I'm back," he shrugged, "I'm returning to my old routine, which usually involves you."

"I-I haven't seen you for so long!" Kohaku said. "Why were you gone for such a long time?"

"I … I was … enjoying my vacation," Koryu answered, not as smoothly as he'd liked. Changing the subject, he said, "So how're the lovebirds doing … Hisui and Kokuyo?"

"Fine. They don't like to be disturbed when their door is closed," Kohaku said.

"I'll bet." Koryu laughed. But then his expression grew ever so slightly more serious. "And Shuichiro? How's he?"

Kohaku turned her head. "He … He …" she stammered quietly.

Koryu paled. "He didn't _die _again, did he?"

The other shook her head. "He moved," she said finally.

"'Moved'?" Koryu repeated dumbly. "What do you mean 'he moved'?"

"I mean he got married and moved away!" Kohaku almost shouted.

Koryu was taken aback. "But … But … weren't you two … aren't you … supposed to …?" He was at a loss for words. A thousand questions were buzzing through his head.

_Weren't they supposed to be together? Didn't they love each other? Did she really wait a hundred years for him for nothing? How could he do that to her? How did that happen?_

Then he saw the tears in the angel's eyes. "Kohaku," the demon breathed.

She stepped forward off of the porch. His breath caught, and his heart began to race. In this light, the blue pre-dawn glow, she looked even more beautiful than he remembered. Her pale hair shimmered like stardust, her amber eyes illuminated and shining with tears. Her skin looked like porcelain, her lips as pink and soft as cherry blossoms. She was slender and lithe, moving with a grace he didn't remember her having before.

Another thing he noticed, with a start, was that it was not yet day …

And she was in her original form.

"Why … Why aren't you small?" he asked, taking a wary step backwards.

"Oh, well," Kohaku averted her gaze. "I requested from Him … one small request … to be able to stay in this form all of the time … to fit in better with the human world … and so that it might be easier for Shuichiro to love me. After all, our relationship would've been difficult if I had been small every night."

'_If I had been small every night' … is she implying that … she and Shuichiro …? Nah. Not Kohaku … she's too innocent. _"And he gave into your request?" Koryu asked.

The other nodded. "I think He knew that Shuichiro would leave me, so He answered my request out of pity. So merciful is He –"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah … 'forgiving', 'merciful', 'loving', 'caring' … I know, I know." Then, rolling his eyes, the demon muttered, "Too damn nice if you ask me."

"Koryu …" Kohaku stepped forward.

"Heh?" He turned to her and noticed that she was trembling. She had been trembling before, but he had thought she was just shivering from the frosty air.

She stumbled forward, and he caught her. He gasped. "You're …You're so … _cold_."

She laid her blonde head on his chest, still trembling.

"What the –?" Koryu didn't know what to do. His heart was pounding.

"Koryu," Kohaku whispered, lifting her head to meet his eyes. "Koryu … I missed you." The tears fell down her face. "Why? Why did you leave? I needed you!"

Kohaku gasped as the words tumbled out of her mouth. She regretted blurting them so quickly and bluntly, but she knew that the truth behind them was sincere. As much as she thought she hated him for always teasing her, she _had _missed him. She _had _needed him when Shuichiro had broken her heart.

"I … uh …" Koryu wrapped his arms around the angel's cold and shaking body, still at a loss for words.

"I was so alone. I needed you!" Kohaku began to weep, her body wracked with sobs.

"It's okay," Koryu found himself saying. "I … I'm here now." He pulled Kohaku closer to him, enveloping her in his warm embrace. Soon her sobbing quelled to silent tears. Again she laid her head on his chest, breathing in his sweet scent. He smelled like night rain. Koryu buried his face in her soft, golden hair.

Despite the warmth of being held in Koryu's arms, Kohaku was still deathly cold, still shaking uncontrollably. "What's wrong with you, Kohaku?" he whispered. "Are you sick?"

But he knew that angels and demons, medically speaking, couldn't fall ill. It had to be something else, something having an unhealthy effect on her.

Kohaku felt dizzy. She closed her eyes, her world beginning to tip. "Koryu," she whispered.

Her body went limp in his arms. "Kohaku?" He looked down at the angel. She was breathing heavily, erratically. She didn't respond. "Kohaku!"

Koryu rushed her inside. He laid her down on top of her bed and tucked the covers tightly around her. Something was wrong with her.

She needed help.

And soon.

---

"Kokuyo! Hisui!" Koryu pounded on the door of the two's room. "Guys!" He was trembling with fear and anger. He didn't really know why he was angry … maybe angry at himself for not being here for Kohaku … angry at that damned Shuichiro for leaving her …

And angry at Hisui and Kokuyo for not hurrying up and opening the door.

"What is it?" came Hisui's voice.

"Come out here!" Koryu demanded. "NOW!"

He heard the rustling of sheet and robes, the ex-archangel's soft footsteps on the floor as she made her way across the room. Moments later, she opened the door a crack.

"Oh! Koryu!" She opened the door wider. "How nice to see you after so long!"

"Hisui –" Koryu began before Kokuyo interrupted.

"What do you want?" he growled angrily as he appeared at Hisui's side. "Why are you interrupting us so early in the morning?"

"It's … It's Kohaku!" the panicked demon blurted hurriedly. "She's sick!"

Hisui's face grew frightened. Even Kokuyo looked slightly concerned. Hisui said, "What? Where is she?"

"She's in her bed. I … I put her there after she fainted," Koryu explained, pulling Hisui from the doorway. She stumbled forward and followed the demon. Kokuyo sighed and grudgingly went after them.

When they got to Kohaku's room, they found the angel breathing strangely, pale and shivering, her skin cold as ice, yet a fevered sweat dampening her face. Hisui pulled up a chair next to her bed and sat down. She inspected Kohaku's condition, trying to use her natural healing touch to reach out to the angel in her unconsciousness, shatter the darkness in her mind with her light.

But Hisui couldn't do anything for Kohaku except diagnose her condition. She couldn't even wake her up. "It's emotional strain that's causing this," she told the others.

"What the hell does that mean!" Koryu cried a bit exasperatedly.

"She's talking about her broken heart, dumbass," Kokuyo snapped irritably.

Koryu stuck his tongue out at his cousin before turning back to Hisui. The former angel said, "When Shuichiro left her, Kohaku went about her day as if nothing was wrong. She tended to her chores and smiled frequently, but she cried at night when she thought nobody could hear her.

"She's suppressed her pain for too long … and it's finally catching up to her. On top of that, she had no one to heal her broken heart," Hisui continued. "Without venting her anger and pain in the proper way, and with no one to truly console her and heal her heart, it's come to this." She motioned to the weak Kohaku.

"_Why? Why did you leave? I needed you!" _Kohaku's words echoed in Koryu's mind. He bowed his head, clenching his fists angrily. Then he looked to Hisui. "But you two were here! Couldn't you have done anything to help her?"

"We tried," Kokuyo said. "But we're not the ones who can help her. Ah, hell, we probably made it worse. Her seeing us together and happy just reminded her of how alone she was."

"But will she be okay?" Koryu asked.

Hisui forced a smile. "Oh, she'll probably be fine with a little rest and –"

"Stop sugarcoating it!" Kokuyo interrupted briskly. "You know very well that she could die."

Koryu froze. It seemed as if time were standing still. Then, he burst, "DIE!"

Hisui nodded. "If her condition does not improve, she could very well …"


	3. Chapter 3

**Garnet & Amber**

_XO'MagickMoon'OX_

* * *

**Matters of the Heart …**

Koryu sat beside Kohaku's bed, mulling over everything he had learned since returning. Hisui and Kokuyo had gone back to bed, but Koryu was _far _from tired.

"_She's suppressed her pain for so long, and it's finally catching up to her."_

"_She had no one to heal her broken heart."_

"_Her seeing us together and happy just reminded her of how alone she was."_

"_Why? Why did you leave? I needed you!"_

"Kohaku …" Koryu looked down at the angel sleeping fitfully beneath the white cotton sheets. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left." He clenched his fists, his nails digging painfully into his palms. "But how was I supposed to know you would need me? You had Shuichiro … you were happy the last time I saw you. I never knew this would happen.

"But … But why did you need _me_? What was I supposed to do to help? How was I supposed to heal your broken heart? Surely I don't have that ability … that effect on you."

_But then again … I do lo –_

_No. It's not love. It can't be love. It's just a crush right?_

_What the hell am I thinking? I'm not some fourteen-year old schoolboy. I do love you, Kohaku. I love you so much. I … I'm just afraid you won't love me back._

Koryu stroked the angel's hair, his fingers playing with the light locks of blonde silk. Kohaku shifted in her sleep and groaned softly, another bead of sweat rolling down her temple.

_How can she be so ice-cold … and at the same time be sweating?_ Koryu wondered.

Koryu looked out the window as the sun began to rise. The rays shining through the window painted the room with orange, casting shadows about. The demon squinted in the light and turned to Kohaku so that his back was to it. "Kohaku … please wake up," he pleaded. "Please." Tears blurred his vision, and his voice wavered. "I … I already lost you twice. Once when you were put to sleep, and another when you woke up and spent all of your time with Shuichiro. I can't lose you again, because this time I'll … never get you back."

He bent over the bed and buried his face in his hands. "Wake up, dammit!" came his muffled cry. "Please! Please!"

"… K-Kor … yu …"

The demon sat up and took Kohaku's hand in his own. "Kohaku?" His heart began to race as Kohaku stirred with consciousness. He was barely breathing as she groaned.

"Why's it … so … bright?" she mumbled, her eyes still closed.

Koryu didn't wait for her to sit up. He pulled her up himself and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tight. "It's dawn," he answered, a smile playing across his lips.

"Oh." Her head was spinning, so she didn't dare open her eyes. She was disoriented, still trembling and numb. "… and … why is it so … warm?" she whispered.

Koryu blushed. "I … uh …"

When he didn't give a definite answer, Kohaku opened her eyes a little, her vision consumed with black. Then she realized, her mind sharpening a bit, that the blackness was Koryu's shirt. And the warmth was his embrace …

"Agh!" She straightened herself immediately, breaking free of Koryu's arms. "What's happening?"

Koryu sat back, blushing fiercely. "You … You fainted. You've been asleep for almost an hour. … You're … eh, sick."

Kohaku laid back against her pillows. "Ah, that explains why I'm so dizzy." She closed her eyes. She remembered what had happened before she'd fainted. She remembered Koryu coming home, after being gone for so long … thirty years. She remembered stepping towards him … she remembered … falling against him! And he had _held _her! Koryu!

She looked over to the demon, and a blush just as deep as his filled her unusually pale cheeks.

But it all seemed so blurry, like a dream. Had she dreamt it all? Certainly, she hadn't dreamt the part about him coming home, for he was still here. But she had to have dreamt the part about him _holding _her. Koryu would never do that! And she would never want him to do it.

Would she?

"It was all a dream, wasn't it?" she asked. "About you holding me …"

Koryu blinked. _She thinks it was a dream? Earlier this morning? Is she so sick that she can't clearly remember what happened? _

He smirked. _It'll probably be better to allow her to think it was all a dream_, he decided. "What are you talking about, bubblehead? I never _held_ you!"

Kohaku smiled. This was the Koryu she knew. "Yeah, I can't imagine you ever being that sincere and sentimental, to be holding me and comforting me like you did in … my dream."

Koryu flushed angrily. "Why can't I be 'sincere and sentimental', huh? Is that so _above _me?" he snapped.

Kohaku smiled again. Her lids grew heavy. "Yeah. You're just a shallow, arrogant demon."

Her eyes closed gently, and she fell into a peaceful sleep.

Koryu stood and stroked the angel's hair one last time. "Sweet dreams, Kohaku."

Then he left the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

---

Days passed.

Kohaku slept most of the time, only waking every so often to have a glass of milk and spend some time out in the sun to restore her strength. But other than that, she didn't have the energy to stay out of bed. She was still ill, but she _was _doing better.

Hisui and Kokuyo silently noted that it was always when Koryu was watching over her that Kohaku seemed to get a little better. Sweating a little less, color returning a bit to her face, her body temperature warming up again to what was considered normal. She even slept better when he was sitting by her bedside.

But both the elder demon and former angel knew that, for as long as they were able, Kohaku and Koryu would never admit the way they felt about each other.

When Kohaku was awake and the two were together, their relationship was no different than it had ever been. Koryu teased and taunted Kohaku, she cried like a baby whenever he went too far, and she claimed to hate him with a passion.

Things were slowly settling back to normal.

Save the fact that Shuichiro was gone.

Kohaku was still haunted by dreams of him, how she had loved him so much, everything she had done for him, and all that he had done for her. Sometimes she dreamed of his death. At other times she dreamed of how the reincarnated Shuichiro had broken her heart.

But no matter what she dreamed, every memory of him left her with a terrible ache in her chest.

And this did nothing to help her condition.

---

Koryu sat beside Kohaku's bed one night, the light of the full moon shining through the window. He drank in the light, savoring every bit of it.

Demons thrived in the light of the moon.

Kohaku was sleeping peacefully, as she had been doing lately. Her illness had quelled a bit, much to Koryu's relief.

She was still abnormally cold, but not as icy as she had first been. She didn't sweat anymore, and she had stopped trembling. Every now and then she had fits of uncontrollable shaking, and at those time Koryu noticed that she became colder. But the fits usually passed …

Because Koryu would gather her up in his arms and hold her close until she was warmer again.

But this was always when she was sound asleep, and Koryu figured her fits arose when she was dreaming about Shuichiro, as she would sometimes mutter his name.

He wondered if she would ever get over that human.

Then, Kohaku groaned. Koryu's distant gaze sharpened as his eyes fell on the angel. She had started trembling. The demon sighed. He stood and bent over her sleeping form, scooping her up in his arms. He cradled her against him, shivering involuntarily at the feel of her cold body against his. Even through their robes, he could feel her icy temperature.

Her shivering slowly stopped, and her expression grew from one of pain to one of contentment. Koryu smiled, holding on to her for just another moment. He looked down at her peaceful face. Even if she didn't love him, times when he was able to hold her like this were moments too precious to waste.

He knew when she was awake that she would never let him touch her, let alone hold her, or kiss her. She just didn't love him.

Koryu sighed sadly and bent to put her back down.

But she wouldn't let go.

He looked down at her. Her eyes were still closed, her breathing still that of one sleeping soundly.

But her arms were wrapped tightly around his neck.

_Damn_, Koryu cursed silently. _Now what? How do I get her to let go without waking her up?_

Slowly, he lowered her onto the bed so that his hands were free. Then he reached behind him and worked his neck free from her arms. It wasn't a quick process, but it was successful, and soon she had released him.

But why had she held on? What could she have been dreaming about that would make her unconsciously do that?

No more than a second later, Koryu got his answer.

"Shuichiro …" Kohaku mumbled.

Koryu cringed as he felt an aching in his heart. She was never going to get over that human.

And therefore, she could never love Koryu.

Not when she was still in love with that damned human.

Koryu left Kohaku's room for the night, his eyes misty. He walked through the back door into the garden. Since Kohaku had taken ill, the garden had been less lovingly cared for, with its caretaker bedridden. Koryu jumped into a nearby wisteria tree and climbed through the boughs to the top. He lounged against the branches and stared up at the moon, bathing in its ethereal light.

As the cool autumn wind nipped at his face, he realized that the tears he had felt rimming his eyes were no longer just in his eyes, but rolling silently down his face.

Everything was so confusing. He loved Kohaku, but Kohaku loved Shuichiro. Koryu remembered something that Kokuyo had said to Kohaku once, a long time ago, when Shuichiro had first died.

"_You're an angel. Once you fall in love, there is no way for you to fall back out of it."_

"Damn. Damn, damn, damn!" Koryu muttered. "Why did you have to fall in love with him? If what Kokuyo said is true, then it's impossible for you to _ever _love me." Then, he whispered, "And I just had to fall in love with you. It's a hopeless love, I know. But I still love you, even if your heart belongs to another."

As Koryu stared up at the moon, his eyelids grew heavy. He slowly drifted off to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**Garnet & Amber**

_XO'MagickMoon'OX_

**

* * *

**

**Sweet Dreams … **

Kohaku was kneeling in the street, cold and shivering. It was raining, pouring down onto her head, drenching her from head to toe.

It was almost impossible to tell the difference between the rain and the tears rolling down her cheeks.

A shadow loomed over her.

"Shuichiro?" Kohaku whimpered. She looked up into his eyes, empty and uncaring. This was not the Shuichiro she used to know, the man she had fallen in love with one hundred years ago. Though his soul had been reincarnated into this Shuichiro, his and the old Shuichiro's destinies were completely different.

And therefore, so were their hearts.

This Shuichiro had fallen in love with someone else, another human, whom he had married.

This Shuichiro didn't love Kohaku, the angel that the old Shuichiro had held close to his heart.

The old Shuichiro had had one wish:

For Kohaku to stay with him always.

But now that Shuichiro, the Shuichiro that had made that wish, was gone … forever.

And Kohaku was left all alone, to suffer for eternity, drowning in her sorrow.

The man before her smiled sadly and stooped to help the angel up … out of pity, not caring.

Kohaku didn't accept his help. Instead she closed her eyes and buried her face in her hands. She was shivering all over, the cold rain seeping through her robes and to her skin, numbing her to the bone.

She just wanted the pain to go away.

Then, she felt someone wrap their arms around her waist. The embrace was warm and gentle. The person lifted her from the road and held her against them.

Kohaku suddenly felt secure in the stranger's arms. The rain was falling softer now, and the drops were no longer icy cold, but soft and warm. There was a faint glow that she could sense from behind her closed eyelids.

She stopped shivering and smiled.

But who was it that was holding her?

Slowly she lifted her lids, and nearly stopped breathing as her gaze met a pair of garnet eyes.

"Koryu!" she gasped.

He smiled, and Kohaku couldn't help but smile back as she laid her head against his chest, the faint beating of his heart audible underneath the soft pitter-pattering of the rain.

She turned her head slightly and saw Shuichiro walking away, shrinking into the distance.

"Goodbye, Shuichiro," she whispered as she closed her eyes again, only to drift off to sleep, cradled against Koryu.

---

Kohaku's eyes flickered open. As her eyesight sharpened and she came to her senses, she realized that she was still in her bed. It was dark out, and a sweet, warm scent was carried in through her window on the cool autumn breeze. The light of the full moon flooded her room.

A dream.

It had all been a dream.

Why did she feel suddenly, strangely free? And free of what?

Not only did she feel free, she realized, but she also felt _better_. She wasn't sick anymore. She wasn't dizzy, or sweating, or shivering and cold, but _better_.

She was cured!

She laid her head back on her pillow and savored the peace around her.

It was then that she became aware of a soft pitter-pattering outside her window.

She turned her head and saw rain falling heavily from the sky. The aroma that drifted in on the breeze was the smell of the night rain.

Night rain …

Why was that scent so familiar? Why did it remind her of Koryu?

Koryu! He was in her dream! But what had her dream meant? Why had it (seemingly) cured her of her broken heartedness?

So many questions. Her mind was swimming in them.

So deep in thought was she that she didn't realize it when she absentmindedly slipped out of bed. Her feet led her to the back door, which she opened before stepping outside.

She found the cold wooden floor of the porch beneath her bare feet. She gazed out through the sheets of rain veiling the backyard. She could see very little beyond the porch.

But, the rain wasn't enough to veil the dark form lounging on a wisteria tree.

Koryu.

She sat down on the porch, shielded from the rain by the overhanging roof. She stared into the rain without actually seeing it. Her mind was elsewhere.

What had her dream _meant_? She had to know …

" … "

After pondering for some time, Kohaku was still clueless. _Maybe,_ she thought. _Maybe Madam Hisui will know_.

"Hello, little one."

Speak of the devil.

"M-Madam Hisui!" Kohaku exclaimed softly as she looked up to see the ex-archangel towering over her. "Why are you up so late?"

Hisui sat down beside her. "I could ask you the same thing."

"I … I woke up … because of a dream I had. And I can't get back to sleep, especially since I'm not sick anymore."

"You're not?" Hisui smiled. "Well that's good news. And this dream? Why did it wake you up?"

"I don't know. I think … I think it meant something." Kohaku frowned. "But I can't figure out what."

"Well, why don't you tell me about it," Hisui prodded gently.

The other nodded. "First, it was dark, cold, rainy. I was soaked to the bone, kneeling in the street, and I was freezing cold. But … But I think that most of the numbness was in my chest, in my heart. Shuichiro … the reincarnated Shuichiro … was standing in front of me. His eyes … they held none of the love and warmth that the old Shuichiro's eyes held when he looked at me. He tried to help me up, but just because he felt sorry for me, not because he really cared."

Hisui was listening intently, her face emotionless as Kohaku outlined her dream.

"I wouldn't let him help me up," Kohaku continued. "Just as I was about to give up all hope … er, _someone_ … picked me up and held me as if they would never let me go … as if they would never drop me … as if they were willing to protect me from every threat and danger that would ever come my way. I felt safe and loved, and I watched from … _someone's _arms as Shuichiro walked away. And I said, 'Goodbye, Shuichiro' and fell asleep … before I actually woke up, that is." Kohaku looked to Hisui for her response.

"This 'someone' … who is he … or she?" Hisui asked.

Kohaku looked away.

"You won't tell me?"

"Well, it was a 'he', for certain. But …"

"But you don't want me to know who he is."

Kohaku nodded. "Can you still help me decipher the meaning of my dream?"

"Well," Hisui began, "I think that it was all a reflection of your emotions. I think that when you said goodbye to Shuichiro in your dream, it represented your being able to finally let go of him, to fall out of love with him, and in love with someone else. That someone else was probably the same 'someone' who picked you up out of the rain. For, you see, Kohaku, an angel can only fall out of love when another love, stronger than the first, takes its place. So, your love for this other 'someone' was strong enough to heal your broken heart and fill it with a new love."

_In love ... with KORYU? _Kohaku thought. "No!" she cried, jumping up. "It … It can't be!"

"Why, Kohaku? Who is this 'someone' you seem so afraid of loving?" Hisui asked calmly.

Kohaku turned, blushing a bright red. "No one."

" … " Hisui nodded. "I see."

The rain stopped.

Kohaku and Hisui went back inside, leaving a drenched, sleeping Koryu in the wisteria tree.

---

Koryu's eyes flickered open. _Why am I so cold and wet? _he wondered. He looked around and jumped up in surprise before tumbling from the tree.

Soaking wet from head to toe, he shivered in the cool air. He hurried inside, where he found Hisui waiting with a towel.

"Good morning, Koryu."

"Dammit!" The flustered demon grabbed the towel and began to dry his hair. "Why didn't anyone wake me up! Why'd you guys just leave me there in the rain! You bastards!"

Hisui giggled, much to Koryu's annoyance. "You just looked so peaceful."

"We figured that if you were sleeping soundly enough to not wake up during the rainstorm, it wasn't worth waking you up," Kokuyo added from his seat at the kitchen table.

"But I made you some hot soup," Hisui offered as Koryu sat down across from Kokuyo.

Koryu grumbled angrily but accepted the soup as he knelt down on the floor. He took a sip and then looked up, feeling immediately warmer. "Where's that bubblehead?" he asked bitterly. "She still sleeping?"

"Kohaku? She's just washing her bed sheets. She'll be out in a minute for her breakfast," Hisui answered, her ever-pleasant smile irritating the already irritated demon.

Irritated or not, he was surprised to hear that Kohaku was out of bed. "Shouldn't she be sleeping?" he inquired.

"You sound concerned," Kokuyo said, an amused smiled playing across his lips. "Do you care about her that much?"

Koryu blushed angrily. Hisui said, "She's all better."

Koryu looked surprised. "'All better'? When'd that happen?"

"Last night. Apparently, she had a dream and it … helped to heal her heart," Hisui said, taking a seat beside Kokuyo. The son of Satan draped his arm around his lover's shoulder, pulling her close to him.

Koryu frowned. Why did he feel this sudden twinge of jealousy?

"Good morning!" Kohaku's voice rang out from behind Koryu as the angel plopped down next to him.

Koryu folded his arms. "I hear you're all better," he muttered.

A smile lit her face. "Yup!"

_I'm glad to hear it_, Koryu thought.

But he'd never say it out loud, especially not to Kohaku.

Last night he'd grudgingly remembered where her heart really lay.

With Shuichiro.

Koryu didn't have a chance with her.

Or, at least, that's what he thought.


	5. Chapter 5

**Garnet & Amber**

_XO'MagickMoon'OX_

**

* * *

**

**Discussions … **

Koryu ate his breakfast in silence … which was unusual for him.

"Koryu, are you all right?" Hisui asked calmly.

"Never better," Koryu grumbled.

"What's eating you?" Kokuyo pressed.

"Nothing!" the other demon snapped.

Kohaku looked worriedly at Koryu. Why was he being so irritable?

"I'm done." Koryu stood and took his bowl over to the sink. Although he had finished his soup, he had barely touched his other food.

Then he left out the front door without saying another word.

"Why don't you go see what's wrong?" Hisui asked Kohaku.

"M-Me?" Kohaku stammered. "Why me? Why not you … or Kokuyo?"

"Why not you?" Kokuyo said.

"Be … Because … er …" Kohaku was speechless. Why didn't she want to go talk to Koryu? What did she have to be afraid of? Well, besides being bullied, course. She sighed. "All right," she reluctantly agreed. "I'll go talk to him."

Kohaku quickly finished her milk and honey before going after Koryu.

That was when the atmosphere shifted. Blue, green, and red mists swirled through the kitchen before taking the shape of three angels: Ransho, Ryuki, and Touki. Ransho, the most levelheaded and calm of the three, was the archangel of Earth. Rowdy and overemotional, Ryuki was the archangel of Fire. Touki, the archangel of Water, was stern and reserved, a real "hard-butt", as Hari had once called her

"My friends!" Hisui greeted. "What brings you here?"

"We're just visiting," Ransho said. "We have something we'd like to talk about."

"Or someone, rather," Touki amended.

Ryuki was just glaring at Kokuyo. The demon glared back.

Touki hit the back of Ryuki's head and the Angel Master stumbled forward. Instantly, Ryuki went up in flames.

"What was that for!" he shouted at the Water Angel Master, quelling the flames enveloping him.

Touki's pale blue eyes caught Ryuki under a paralyzing gaze. "You need to calm down, and leave Kokuyo alone."

Ryuki huffed but nodded. "Fine." He had had it in for Kokuyo ever since the demon and Hisui had run away together. He had _very _strong feelings for the ex-Angel Master of Wind. And then Kokuyo had taken her away from him (unintentionally, of course).

Kokuyo distinctly remembered Ryuki shouting, _"I HATE THAT KOKUYO! YOU HEAR ME! HATE!"_ once the angel had learned that Hisui and he were together.

"Who do you want to talk about?" Hisui asked the other three.

"Kohaku," Ransho answered. "How is she?"

Hisui smiled. "Oh she's fine."

"I heard she was sick," Touki said.

"Yes, she was, but she's okay now," Hisui responded.

"So someone must have healed her broken heart," Ransho mused. "Who?"

"Well …" Hisui looked to Kokuyo. "Koryu."

The room was silent, each Angel Master too shocked to respond.

But Ryuki didn't stay silent for long. "WHAT! That annoying, smug, little jerk that always bullies Kohaku!"

Hisui nodded. "Yes. He helped to heal her broken heart. She's fallen out of love with Shuichiro."

Ransho looked worried. "But, for that to happen, a love stronger than her love for Shuichiro must now reside in her heart. That's …"

"Extremely rare," Touki finished. "Especially for an angel."

"So she's in love with Koryu!" Ryuki cried.

"I believe so," Hisui responded calmly. "But I don't think she realizes it, and she might even be afraid to accept it."

Ransho sat down, as did the other archangels. "Why do you think that is?" he asked.

Hisui thought for a moment. "There could be many reasons. For one, she may be reluctant to believe that she could be in love with Koryu, of all beings, for he's very mean to her sometimes. Another, more obvious reason would be that she's afraid of getting her heart broken again. So, even if it weren't Koryu, she would still be afraid to love again."

"I see." Touki nodded. "That makes perfect sense."

"So what do you think will happen?" Ransho wondered. "This is quite a situation those two are in."

"Does Koryu love Kohaku?" Ryuki asked, rather calmly for once.

"Without a doubt." Kokuyo folded his arms.

"Are we talking about Master Koryu?"

Two small shadows leapt down from an open window and sauntered into the kitchen. They jumped up onto the table with catlike grace and began rubbing up against Kokuyo, purring contently.

Kokuyo looked down at the two demon-felines in surprise. "Hari and Ruri?"

"Hello Master Kokuyo!" Hari purred.

"Where have you two been? I haven't seen you for …" Kokuyo thought, "nearly fifty years."

"We were taking a little vacation," Ruri explained. "We spent a lot of time in Egypt. You may see us as servants, but in Egypt cats are sacred."

Kokuyo rolled his eyes. "Who told you you could take a vacation? Servants don't _take vacations_!" He paused. "How the hell did you get to Egypt?"

"Master Koryu took us when he left thirty years ago," Hari said.

"Ah yes." Kokuyo rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "That was when he took his 'little vacation'."

The black cats traded bemused glances, their yellow eyes glittering. "His 'little vacation'," they purred in unison.

Hisui watched the cats carefully. "What aren't you telling us?" she asked gently.

"His 'vacation'," Hari said, "was more like a 'getaway' …"

Ransho looked at the demon curiously. "A getaway from what?"

"From heartache," Ruri said, being purposely blunt to annoy the angels and demons hanging on their every word.

"Kohaku," Hisui breathed. She looked sincerely concerned, her usual pleasant smile melting into a frown.

"So let me get this straight," Ryuki chimed in. "Koryu was jealous of Shuichiro and Kohaku, and the fact that Kohaku didn't love Koryu caused him heartache, which led to Koryu's thirty-year disappearance. While he was gone, Shuichiro left Kohaku, breaking her heart to the point of making her fatally ill. And the only one who could've helped heal her heart was gone because he himself was suffering a terrible heartache from her being with the man who left her and broke her heart …" Ryuki put his head in his hands and groaned. "This is so confusing."

"It gets worse," Touki said. "After Koryu returned, he discovered that he loved Kohaku, but she was still in love with Shuichiro. Therefore, Koryu now thinks he doesn't have a chance with Kohaku. But, while Kohaku was ill, she realized her true feelings, falling out of love with Shuichiro and in love with Koryu. But Koryu still thinks that Kohaku loves Shuichiro, so he's not going to tell her how he feels any time soon. And, in the meantime, Kohaku isn't going to tell him how she feels because she doesn't know that he feels the same way. To make matters worse, Koryu's just going to go about his normal routine and make her miserable with his bullying in order to hide his true feelings, which is going to give Kohaku the wrong idea of how he really feels about her." Touki closed her eyes, sat back, and folded her arms.

"You are very perceptive," Ransho noted. "How did you know all that?"

Touki opened her eyes and gave Ransho a shrewd sidelong glance. "I _am_ the archangel of Water. Water is the element of love and emotions." She shot Ryuki a look. "And unlike _some _angels, I observe the world around me in quiet contemplation instead of blowing up in everyone's face."

"This is quite a situation," Hisui muttered.

"What are we going to do?" Ransho asked.

"I think we should just stay out of it," Kokuyo mumbled.

Touki and Hisui nodded.

"That's a good idea," Touki agreed. "Let's just let them work it out themselves."

---

Kohaku floated quietly behind Koryu, careful not to make a sound as Koryu tramped down the street. She had been following him for a while now. She'd followed him around the neighborhood, making sure she kept her distance so as not to betray her presence. She'd followed him into town, where he'd continued to traipse around angrily for a while (how long exactly, Kohaku didn't know), and out of town. Since then, he'd been following some sort of direction for nearly two miles, and all he'd done all the while was mumble and growl incoherently to himself.

He didn't seem to be aware of the angel following him as closely and quietly as his shadow.

Koryu had set out on this walk to vent his frustration. Since leaving town, he didn't really know where he was going, but he found his feet leading him towards his favorite park. Upon arriving, he walked among the beautiful, bare trees and brittle foliage. He stopped at the edge of a pond. The park was, again, mostly deserted, or maybe it was just the part he was in. Either way, he was enveloped in the arms of peaceful solitude. The pond was surrounded by trees and bushes, making it pretty much secluded. Koryu was used to it … being …

Alone.

He stared down into the pond and saw his reflection in the liquid-crystal surface. He frowned. Why didn't Kohaku love him? What was wrong with him? Certainly he was as attractive as Shuichiro …

But then again, Kohaku wasn't the shallow type. She could care less about a person's looks.

Koryu lashed out angrily at his reflection, marring the flawless surface of the pond. Ripples began fanning out to the edges of the pool, and his reflection was temporarily obscured. The water clinging to his hand was ice-cold, and he shivered.

When next he looked down at his reflection, he saw another face next to his, peering over his shoulder ...

Kohaku.

He gasped and stumbled backwards, only to bump into the angel, who was standing behind him.

They fell to the ground, Koryu landing on Kohaku. Once the two realized what was going on, Koryu smirked.

"Get off!" Kohaku demanded.

Koryu was sitting on the angel as if she were a chair. "Oh, come on. I'm not _that _heavy, am I?"

"Well, you're heavier than me," Kohaku mumbled.

"What was that!" Koryu snapped. "You're way fatter than me!"

"No way!" Kohaku groaned. "Rrrrgh … Koryu! Get off!"

But the demon just sat back, treating Kohaku like a lawn chair, and folded his arms behind his head. "Not until you take back what you said. Besides, you're pretty comfortable," he taunted.

Kohaku huffed. Even though she couldn't see Koryu's face, she knew he was grinning wickedly. What a jerk. She sighed. What was she going to do now?

"Ah, what a lovely day," Koryu said teasingly.

"Kor-_yu_!" Kohaku yelled. "Move your fat butt!"

"Oh, now I'm definitely not moving!" Koryu leaned back so that Kohaku had to turn her head to the side in order to keep her nose from being squished by the demon's head. His raven hair fell across her face.

Then, a sweet scent filled her nose. She took a deep breath. What was that smell? And why was it so familiar?

It smelled like … night rain, which was odd because it wasn't nighttime and it wasn't raining.

It was Koryu.

"Th-That smell …" Kohaku whispered.

Koryu peered over his shoulder at the angel beneath him. "Oh, so now not only am I fat, but I smell, too?"

"N-No!" Kohaku cried. "It's a good smell."

Koryu suddenly seemed sincerely curious. "What … do I smell like?"

"Night rain," Kohaku replied softly.

Koryu frowned. "What the hell is that?"

"Like when it rains at night," Kohaku explained. "The cool, calm scent of the night mixed with the sweet smell of rain …"

"Hmph." Koryu looked away. "Despite the fact that you just complimented me, I'm still not moving until you apologize for calling me fat."

But Kohaku barely heard him. Her memory was reeling, pulling her mind into a memory of one morning a week or so past. It was the morning, just before dawn, when Koryu had come home. That morning, she had been sick and a bit disoriented, blurting things she would've rather not said … especially to Koryu.

She had also done things she would've rather not done, like leaning against Koryu, looking for consolation and comfort. She distinctly recalled him wrapping his arms around her and holding her close, as if he really cared about her.

But she had thought that was just a dream.

But then, how could she remember his scent so clearly? Surely the only time she'd gotten close enough to the demon to the point that she could recognize his smell – besides now, of course –was that night. So, had it really happened?

But Koryu said it hadn't. _"What are you talking about, bubblehead? I never _held _you!" _Had he been lying? Had he been taking advantage of her delirium and foggy memory, playing along with her idea that it had been a dream?

The memory of that morning flashed so clearly through Kohaku's mind that she jumped up in surprise, pushing the demon off of her.

"Hey!" Koryu staggered forward and toppled into the pond with a splash.

Kohaku gasped. She ran to the edge of the pool as Koryu tried to get out … with little success. Kohaku grabbed his hands and helped pull him out. She fell back, breathing heavily, as Koryu stood with his hands on his knees, also gasping for breath.

"W-W-What was th-that all a-about?" he spluttered. He was freezing, soaked in icy water, shivering, his teeth chattering.

"I-I'm sorry!" Kohaku cried. "I … I just remembered something that … eh … startled me."

"W-Well th-that's just grea-great for y-y-you," he snapped. His wings sprouted from his back and he took to the sky, hurrying back to the house to dry off.

"Koryu!" Kohaku called and, her own snow-white wings materializing behind her, took off after him.

---

Koryu burst through the front door, followed shortly by Kohaku.

"Koryu!" Kohaku called after the demon as he made his way to the kitchen.

He whirled on her. "What!" he shouted.

"I … I'm sorry that I … er … knocked you into the pond," Kohaku said softly.

Koryu didn't respond. He just turned back around, his drenched robes flaring out behind him, and continued towards the kitchen.

He stopped dead as he was met with six pairs of inquiring eyes. Kohaku stopped in the kitchen entrance, too, as she recognized their guests.

"Master Touki! Master Ransho! Master Ryuki!" she greeted nervously, bowing deeply.

But Koryu's eyes were fixed on the two demon-cats. "Ruri and Hari?" he asked dumbly.

They leapt off the table and immediately began rubbing up against Koryu's legs. Moments later they hissed and pulled back.

"Master Koryu, you're all wet!" Hari mewed.

"And cold!" Ruri added.

"So I've noticed," the demon grumbled. He left towards the bathroom, intending on taking a hot bath to warm up.

"Kohaku, what happened?" Hisui asked calmly.

"It's a long story," Kohaku replied dismissively. "Basically, I accidentally pushed him into a pond." Then she turned to the three Angel Masters. "What brings you three here?" she asked, forcing a pleasant smile.

"Oh, we're just visiting," Ransho said, smiling back. "We've missed you and Hisui."

"And we've missed Master Koryu and Master Kokuyo, and you, too, Kohaku!" Ruri chimed in, leaping into Kohaku's arms.

"Yeah!" Hari agreed, rubbing up against Kohaku's leg, purring contently.

"Well," Hisui said, standing up, "I'd say it's about time for lunch."

Kohaku looked puzzled. "But we just had breakfast."

"Little one, that was nearly four hours ago. It's now time for lunch," Kokuyo explained calmly.

Upon learning this, Kohaku found that she was, indeed, a bit weary and hungry. She nodded and sat down at the table to talk with the other angels as Hisui prepared the food (or, in the angels' cases, milk and honey).


	6. Chapter 6

**Garnet & Amber ... **

_XO'MagickMoon'OX_

**

* * *

****Whirlwind of Emotions …**

Koryu sank down into the tub, shuddering as the hot water enveloped his freezing body. Soon he had adjusted, and he relaxed, finding comfort in the warmth.

It wasn't necessary for demons or angels to take baths or showers, but such activities had purposes other than hygienic ones. In Koryu's case, his reason for taking a bath was to quell the numbing cold clinging to his body and to calm the storm of emotions raging in his heart.

As his mouth disappeared under the water, leaving just his nose and eyes above the surface, he began thinking. His long walk hadn't helped much; he was still frustrated and irritated. And his little run-in with Kohaku hadn't helped either. And falling into the icy pond _definitely _hadn't helped.

But his body tingled in the warm water, his frozen skin slowly thawing, his tangled nerves gradually unwinding. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes. Then he began analyzing the facts:

Kohaku was still in love with Shuichiro, and for all Koryu knew she would always be in love with Shuichiro.

Therefore, Koryu didn't have a chance with Kohaku.

He would live his life in eternity one day at a time, and Kohaku would never know of his true feelings for her, Koryu was sure of that.

Not unless she returned the feelings.

Which Koryu was certain would never happen.

As this hopelessness slowly settled itself in Koryu's heart, he felt a subtle sort of freedom.

Defeat.

He gave up. He gave up the struggle of fighting for Kohaku's heart.

Shuichiro had already won.

_So stop fighting, Koryu_, the demon told himself.

And just like that, Koryu gave in to defeat.

He sat up, and surveyed the bathroom as if seeing it with a newfound sight. His heart had stopped aching … it was numb. The numbness that comes after losing a battle had consumed his heart. Sad as though it may seem, Koryu finally felt okay, like he could see Kohaku without the urgent need to hold her tearing through his limbs.

He stood from the bath, feeling infinitely better than he had ten minutes ago – both physically and emotionally –, and stepped out of the tub, water spilling down the side. He drained the tub before grabbing a towel and drying his body. Then, using a simple spell, he conjured a casual and comfortable outfit: a black T-shirt and baggy cotton pants, neglecting his traditional robes, yet still sticking with his favorite color scheme.

Then he left the bathroom and joined the others in the kitchen, a content smile lighting his face.

Everyone, especially Kohaku, was relieved to see his irritable mood had passed. Why it had, no one could guess, but they were relieved nonetheless.

Ruri and Hari settled themselves beside their master, purring happily. Hisui set around the food for herself, Kokuyo, Ruri, Hari, and Koryu, and passed around milk and honey for the angels.

The meal was pleasant, no bad moods or harsh words, even between Kokuyo and Ryuki. They sat and talked for a few hours, enjoying each other's company, each – even if for that short while – forgetting their woes and strains and troubles, just having a good time. It was an atmosphere that none wanted to wane. Despite the fact that the time was spent between three Angel Masters, two renegades, two demon servants, one exceptional angel, and one unique demon, they all felt at ease with each other.

Peace and cheer … the way things should always be.

But not the way things always are.

---

Just before sunset, the Angel Masters returned to Heaven, bidding their friends farewell.

Then, the six others sat on the porch, watching the sky fade from blue to pink to orange to red to eventually black, at which point nightfall was upon them. Quiet and serene, the stars twinkling in the inky sky like diamonds.

Kokuyo held Hisui against him in the silence, his fingers playing through her golden hair as they gazed out at the garden.

Koryu kept his eyes away from the couple. Ruri and Hari were no longer cats, but were now in their original forms: two identical, young female demons intent on pleasing their master. Koryu had his arm around Hari, and Ruri was sitting in his lap, her head against his chest. Kohaku sat alone next to the three demons, toying with a tassel on her robe.

At that moment she longed for someone to hold her, to sit with their arm around her, like Kokuyo did with Hisui, and Koryu did with his servants. It was unfair that she had no one, while everyone else seemed to have someone.

Why was the world so unfair?

Things had seemed so much simpler in Heaven, before Hisui had disappeared, before she had met Shuichiro … before everything had gotten so complicated.

Soon it was too dark to see the garden.

Hisui stood. "I say we go inside for the night."

"I agree." Kokuyo stood as well, and the other demons followed suit.

Kohaku then got up and stepped through the back door into the house. She heard the others come in behind her soon after.

"Koryu, will you sleep tonight?" Hisui asked.

Koryu nodded. "I …" He chuckled. "I am actually tired."

Hisui smiled. "That's what happens when you spend so much time on Earth … you pick up human habits. And then, like with all habits, it can become an addiction – a physical or mental need. We are addicted to sleeping, though we don't _really need _to sleep. We just feel like we do."

"I like sleeping," Kohaku chimed in. "I like dreaming."

She glanced at Koryu before disappearing down the hall to her room.

Koryu raised an eyebrow. _What was that look for?_ _It wasn't angry, or sad, or particularly happy, just … thoughtful. _

_Whatever_.

"I haven't really slept in a while; I don't have a place to sleep," Koryu said.

Kokuyo smirked. "Would you like us to find you a tree?"

"Bastard," Koryu growled, sticking his tongue out at Kokuyo.

"I think Shuichiro kept an extra futon mattress somewhere," Hisui said. "I'll go find it." She disappeared down a different hallway.

"Good night." With a slight nod of his head, Kokuyo left for his room.

"Master Koryu, shall we be staying with you?" Hari asked.

Koryu grinned. "I think I'd be terribly lonely without you."

---

Koryu pulled the covers around him and his servants, staring up at the ceiling. Hari and Ruri snuggled against their master, Hari fingering Koryu's hair, Ruri resting her head on his chest.

Hisui had laid the futon mattress down in the living room. She had rearranged the other furniture and pushed the mattress against the wall below the window, supplying pillows and blankets.

"Master Koryu?" Hari said softly.

"Mmm?" he responded.

"Do you …" Hari paused.

"Do I what?" Koryu prodded.

"Do you love Kohaku?" Ruri finished.

Koryu froze, his heart beginning to race. "W-What?" he stammered. "No!" He rolled over onto his stomach, pushing Ruri from his chest.

"Are you lying, Master Koryu?" Hari asked impishly.

Koryu shook his head.

"Come on Master Koryu!" Ruri cried. She nuzzled her nose against the side of his head. "You can tell us!"

Koryu pushed her away. "I don't even _like _that little perky, bubbleheaded angel, let alone _love _her!"

"Someone's touchy!" Hari whined. "Come on, Master Koryu. You can trust us! We won't tell anybody, and we'll keep bugging you until you tell us the truth."

"Ugh," Koryu moaned. A deep blush was creeping into his face, and tears were gathering in his eyes. Why wouldn't everyone just leave him alone? He had finally found relief from his emotions, but no one else seemed content with letting them go.

"Master Koryu!" his servants cried.

Koryu screwed his eyes shut, trying to block out his servants and his heart. Soon it became too much, and he lost control of his tongue. As his thoughts about Kohaku began reeling, connection got lost somewhere between his head and his mouth, and before he could stop himself, he blurted, "Yes!"

The other demons traded surprised glances. "'Yes'?" they asked.

"Yes," Koryu repeated, burying his face in his pillow to hide the tears rolling down his cheeks. "I … I do … love her."

"Awwww!" Hari squealed. She slid her hands up Koryu's arm, resting at his shoulders, trying to calm him down with a massage. He didn't refuse her offer.

"That's so sweet!" Ruri added.

"No, it's not sweet," came Koryu's muffled voice. "It's torture."

"Aw, come here, Master." Hari tried to pull Koryu up, tugging on his hair. Ruri pulled on his arms.

Grudgingly, the demon sat up, resting back on his knees. He wiped the tears from his cheeks.

Ruri and Hari were frightened for a moment. They had never seen their master cry.

But soon they were intent on doing nothing but making Koryu happy. Hari leaned over his shoulder, playing with the raven locks falling down the right side of his face. Ruri sat on his lap and began kissing his neck.

He ignored their seductions, letting them kiss and grope and massage and purr, refusing to return any of the gestures. He just sat there, staring straight ahead, his garnet eyes clouded with thought.

Why? After he had finally learned to let go of his love and force it to the back of his mind, why did the topic keep resurfacing? When anyone used "Kohaku" and "love" in the same sentence, it made his heart ache. When he saw Kokuyo and Hisui together, he felt a twinge of jealousy. Why couldn't the subject just be put to rest?

Why couldn't love just leave him alone?

"Master, why are being such a stick in the mud?" Hari whined at his unresponsiveness.

"Yes, play with us!" Ruri insisted.

Koryu just folded his arms and continued to sulk.

"Rrrrgh, if this whole 'Kohaku' thing is going to ruin your mood, why don't you just go tell her how you feel?" Hari suggested tiredly, twirling a stray lock of her ebony hair around her pointer finger. Hisui, Kokuyo, and the Angel Masters had decided to let Koryu and Kohaku work things out for themselves, but the whole ordeal was putting a damper on Hari and Ruri's fun.

Giving a little relationship advice couldn't hurt, could it?

Koryu looked curiously at his servants. Then he shook his head. "She'd just turn me away, or laugh at me, or never speak to me again. She's in love with Shuichiro. I don't want to do anything that would ruin the small love/hate relationship we have now, and telling her that I love her would go under the category of ruining that relationship."

Hari sighed. "But, what if she doesn't turn you away?"

"Or laugh at you, or never speak to you again?" Ruri added.

"What if," Hari whispered in Koryu's ear, "she feels the same way?"

Koryu jumped up. "What are you getting at?" he demanded angrily.

The female demons giggled. "Nothing, Master Koryu!"

They knew how Kohaku felt about Koryu from the talk that the Angel Masters had had with Kokuyo and Hisui. They knew more about the situation than Koryu and Kohaku! (Talk about ironic). But they couldn't give away too much at the risk of "interfering", something the elder angels and demon did _not _want them to do. They'd sworn the mischievous demons to secrecy, the penalty for blabbing being unspeakable tortures, from both Heaven and Hell. (And to a demon, there _can _be "unspeakable tortures" unleashed from Heaven).

Koryu sighed and laid back down between Hari and Ruri. They snuggled against him and slowly drifted off to sleep. But Koryu lay awake for a while longer.


	7. Chapter 7

**Garnet & Amber ...**

_XO'MagickMoon'OX_

**

* * *

Just One Kiss …**

Koryu stood quietly from his mattress, careful not to wake Hari and Ruri, and crept down the hallway. Lithe and swift as a shadow, he swept into Kohaku's room, making not one sound, not one creak or groan of the floorboards.

He stepped towards Kohaku's bed, where she was sleeping soundly.

"_Why don't you just go tell her how you feel?"_

Koryu gazed down at the angel, her hair strewn across her pillow like blonde silk, her face a vision of serenity, her skin pale and flawless in the faint moonlight shining through her window. Her lips … soft and pink as flower petals, slightly parted as she slept.

Koryu had many times before imagined what it would be like to steal a kiss from Kohaku, or to have her willingly give him one (he liked the idea of the latter scenario much better than the first), but he had never been bold enough as to act upon his urges.

Kohaku would probably freak out.

In a bad way.

She'd never talk to him again, probably call him a perverted, arrogant pig, or something along those lines. He didn't want that to happen.

If Kohaku turned away from him … ever … he didn't know what he'd do.

He wouldn't be able to stand her ignoring him. He wouldn't be able to stand not seeing that passionate anger flash through her eyes when he teased her, not seeing those adorable tears she cried when he bullied her, or not seeing that sweet smile she had, the one she used only when she was truly happy.

But … _just one kiss_, he thought. _Just one, and she'd never know. She's sleeping so soundly, I don't think all the Trumpeters of Heaven playing their horns right next to her ear could wake her up, let alone … _

Koryu bent down and placed his lips on hers.

_Just one kiss._

For that brief second, time seemed to be standing still. Koryu felt his heart soar, his insides melt into a pool of sheer bliss.

This one moment was so precious, so perfect, that Koryu never wanted it to end.

But it had to, lest he wake the sleeping angel.

He pulled away, his lips tingling.

What he saw when he next looked down at Kohaku made his heart skip a beat in panic.

She was smiling.

"…" Koryu blinked, but when Kohaku didn't stir, he let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

She was still sleeping.

She was simply smiling in her sleep.

---

Koryu steadied his racing heart as he headed back to his futon. He had panicked for a moment, worrying that he had woken Kohaku with his kiss. What a mess that would have been.

She hadn't awoken.

But she had smiled.

Was it because of his kiss? Unconsciously, did she feel it? Did it work its way into her dreams and make her smile?

Koryu stopped in the hallway and leaned against the wall, his heart slowly returning to a normal pace.

Despite that moment of heart-stopping panic, the _kiss_ had been a moment of sheer joy, one he would remember forever.

He smiled to himself and closed his eyes.

That was when he felt someone press their body against his, pushing him flat against the wall.

"What the –?"

He tensed for a minute until the person wrapped their arms around his neck and he felt the person's lips against his own, the stranger pulling him into a passionate kiss.

It was too dark in the hallway to see who the person was. They had come up so silently and quickly that Koryu had been caught off guard … very unlike him. And then he'd been seduced into kissing this person who'd snuck up on him in a dark, empty hallway … again, very unlike him, to be seduced so easily by someone who was, as far as he knew, a stranger.

And yet, their lips felt so familiar.

It couldn't be …

"Kohaku?" Koryu whispered as the person pulled away.

"Shhhh." He felt a finger against his lips, silencing him.

His heart began to hammer in his chest. The stranger pulled him closer and kissed his cheek, and then his neck, their warm breath caressing his skin. A fevered shock spread through his body and he felt weak, as if he would collapse at any moment.

Which he did, bringing his seducer down with him. The person laid half on top of him, their hands gripping his shirt as they kissed his temple, trailing down the side of his face with soft kisses, then down his neck.

"Wh … Who … are … you?" he gasped.

But the person didn't respond.

He went to search their face with his hands, but the person grabbed his wrists and pinned them to the floor above his head. So … did they not want him to know who they were?

The person's lips found his again. He felt their tongue against his mouth, begging for entrance. His lips parted, and their tongue slipped inside his mouth, brushing against his own. The sweet taste of …

Vanilla.

The scent, the taste … it was all around him. Who's signature was that?

Warm and sweet, welcoming and tantalizing … it consumed him. He started to feel dizzy with pleasure and the sugary aroma. He opened his eyes, only to find that his vision was hazy.

He sighed despairingly. He was going to faint … any moment …

Now.

---

"Gah!"

Koryu awoke with a start, only to find his breath forced from his lungs as someone stepped on his chest.

"Kokuyo! You bastard! What the hell do you think you're doing!" Koryu shouted.

"I could ask you the same thing," Kokuyo responded, smirking. "Why are you sleeping in the middle of the hallway?"

"Huh?" Koryu sat bolt upright and looked around. It was early morning, the orange sunrise flooding the house from every window. He was, indeed, lying in the middle of the hallway.

Suddenly, he was assailed by memories of last night.

_Sneaking into Kohaku's room …_

_Kissing her while she slept …_

_Standing against the wall in the hallway …_

_Someone pressing against him, kissing him …_

_Collapsing … the person following him to the ground …_

_Kissing … Dizzy … Hazy …_

_Vanilla …_

_Nothing._

And now, he was awake, sitting exactly where he had collapsed last night …

Alone.

Whoever had jumped him the night before was gone. But who had it been? He had tried to find out, but they had only silenced him. He couldn't see them, but they had felt familiar … their lips, their touch, their body …

"Get up," Kokuyo growled. He pulled his dazed cousin to his feet. "Why did you sleep in the hallway?"

Koryu narrowed his eyes. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Then he rushed to Kohaku's room. It was still early, and the angel was still sleeping soundly, almost in the exact same position she had been in the night before when he had snuck into her room. It didn't seem as if she had moved much at all since then.

It couldn't have been her.

Despite himself, Koryu felt a slight twinge of disappointment, and at the same time, great concern.

Then, who had it been?

Kohaku's eyes flickered open. Her gaze was foggy for a moment before the sleep lifted from her amber eyes and they glittered with life. She looked up at the demon standing beside her bed, glimpsed the expression on his face. Only moments later did it register with her that he looked worried and confused.

She sat up, brushing her golden bangs from her eyes. "Koryu, what's wrong?" she asked.

The demon shook his head. "Nothing."

Kohaku looked suspiciously at him. "Something's wrong."

"No, it's not," Koryu snapped. He folded his arms and looked away, his gaze still troubled, his eyebrows knit into a frown.

Kohaku sighed. "Why won't you talk to me?" she whispered so quietly that Koryu almost didn't hear her.

He froze, his eyes shifting to look at the angel. The despair in her voice was so deadening that he almost stopped breathing, smothered by the pleading look in her eyes, the yearning in her voice.

"You've changed, Koryu," she whimpered.

"What are you talking about?" he demanded. But he instantly regretted the irritability and harshness in his voice as he glimpsed the hurt on her face.

"W-Well …" Kohaku swung her legs over the edge of the bed, suddenly very interested in the flooring as she talked to Koryu. "You see …" She didn't know where to begin. There was so much she wanted to say. "I remember," she began, "when I first met you. You were this … this fiery, active, immature, straightforward demon. Despite the fact that you were a bully, I always admired the way you would say what was on your mind, the way you were persistent and determined, stubborn … always finding a way to get what you wanted."

She then focused her gaze on the window, still not looking at Koryu. She was sure that she would see surprise and puzzlement in his eyes were she to look at him. She continued, "As we spent more time together and our relationship grew to one of a strange sort of friendship, you still bullied me, like you had always done. The centuries rolled by, and you still had that edge, that blunt way of thinking and speaking, that fiery spirit, and that was what I loved most about you, despite the fact that you annoyed me to no end. True, I claimed to hate you, but I still admired that attitude you flaunted, wishing I could be a little more like you … strong, determined, brave. Even though you bullied me, I sometimes got this impression that you would never let anyone else push me around like you did, as if you would protect me from everything except yourself –"

"You mean like a big brother?" Koryu asked, his interruption surprising the angel.

"I … I guess one could see it that way, but I never did. I still don't … see you as a brother sort of figure." _I see you as more than that, _Kohaku wanted to say, but didn't. "Nevertheless, I still always felt … I don't know … protected, I guess, when you were around, and at the same time in terrible trouble." She smiled, her gaze once again falling on the floor. "And even though we argued and fought like enemies, we still had this connection, this –"

"Love/hate relationship," Koryu said softly.

"Yeah," Kohaku agreed. Her eyes grew sad. "But now," she almost whimpered, "now you're different. Even when Shuichiro was around, you were no different than you had ever been, always bullying me, but still always 'protecting' me. When I woke up about thirty years ago, you were still that immature, wild demon, except a bit more powerful. Then … Then you left."

Koryu bit his lip as he saw tears gather in the angel's downcast eyes. For the first time since she'd started talking, she looked at him. "And I felt so … incomplete without you, like something very important was missing from my life. Even Shuichiro was no compensation. And then … then after _he _left, I felt like everyone had abandoned me. I needed you around, to feel safe and protected. I had missed you … so much. More than I had realized."

The angel wiped her eyes. "Then, you came back. And you helped me … you saved me."

"'Saved' you?" Koryu repeated dumbly. "What did I do?"

"When I was sick," Kohaku said, "you took care of me, like I knew you always would."

Koryu's heart began to beat faster, more frantically. Where was this leading?

"After I started to get better, things slowly settled back to normal. But then, they started to change. _You _started to change. You teased me less, became more irritable and aloof. You're hiding your feelings, your feelings you used to wear so proudly on your sleeve. Your anger, your glee, your frustration, your sadness, your caring … you used to display them so prominently, and I could always count on you to be straightforward with me. But now … you won't tell me anything, and I can't tell how you're feeling." She sighed, her voice thickening with tears. "I know that you're mad at me more often now. Like when I knocked you into the pond, you didn't retaliate … didn't pull me in after you or anything like that. You just … yelled at me, like _really _yelled at me. I got so scared. Yesterday morning, I followed you around the whole time you went walking. I'd never seen you so frustrated … and so sad."

Koryu blushed. She had really been following him around the whole time?

"And every time I ask you what's wrong, you blow me off." Kohaku's pleading gaze grew desperate. "I just don't know what to do anymore!" Then, softly, she whimpered, "Why do you hate me?"

Koryu froze. "How could you …?" _How could you think that? How could you think that I hate you? I love you! I'm just pushing you away because you're causing me so much heartache. But I don't mean to push you away … I'm just scared. You make things so complicated … you have me under your control, and you don't even know it. My emotions are tied around you finger, and you can do whatever you want with them. I have no control over my emotions any more … you have no idea how much hurt and confusion you're causing me! You have no idea how much I want you, how much I want you to love me back … but you're untouchable … my forbidden fruit. Your heart belongs to someone else, and I can't have it, as much as I want it. _

That was what he wanted to say. But he didn't.

All he could muster was a weak, "I … I don't … hate you."

But this answer was unsatisfying to Kohaku. After all she had said, that was all he could say? She had practically opened her heart to him (leaving out the part about her being in love with him), and he was standing there, borderline speechless.

Koryu sighed. "Kohaku, I don't hate you." He stepped towards her.

The angel's heart began to race. Why was he coming closer?

He stopped about a two feet from where the angel sat, staring at her with emotionless eyes. "But you have no idea of how much _you've_ changed," he said.

"M-Me?" she stammered. It was her turn to be taken aback.

"Yes, you. You're much less innocent and naïve than you used to be." Koryu's expression grew thoughtful. "I remember when _I _first met _you_. You were such a little bubblehead. Your naiveté was utterly hysterical; it made you an easy target."

Kohaku frowned.

"But, living here on Earth for so long … falling in love, having your heart broken … has all made you grow up a little. You have no idea how much more mature you are than you used to be. You are no longer so rambunctious and gullible …"

Koryu took a few more steps towards her, closing the small gap between them. He traced her jaw with his slender fingers. She shuddered under his gentle touch. He cupped her face and turned it up towards his.

"You have this … quiet wisdom about you, as if you're starting to learn to observe the world around you with silent contemplation … learning from other's mistakes … studying how to survive in such a cruel and ironic world …"

He let go of her chin, her heart sinking in disappointment as he turned away. Her face still tingled where he had touched her.

Koryu seemed to let the conversation end there as he left the room, leaving Kohaku alone to think about the words exchanged between them.


	8. Chapter 8

**Garnet & Amber**

_XO'MagickMoon'OX_

* * *

**Distraction … **

A few minutes later, Kohaku got up from the bed and went outside. She needed a different environment to think in.

She grabbed the hose and turned on the water, spraying the liquid nutrient over the trees. They seemed to bend and sigh in gratitude.

Kohaku again began to mull over her conversation with Koryu, not really watching what she was doing with the hose. What was happening to them … her and Koryu? He had changed … she had changed … and he was still blissfully unaware of her love for him.

As he had stepped towards her before, she was sure that everyone within a ten-mile radius could hear her racing heart. But he hadn't. She had shuddered when he touched her … shuddered out of pleasure. But he hadn't seemed to take any notice. Was he really that dense that he couldn't see the yearning in her eyes, hear the longing in her voice?

Or was it that he did notice the signals, but he just didn't care?

How stupid was she to think that someone like him … someone so powerful and important … someone so arrogant and confident … someone so charming and gorgeous … would ever be interested in a lowly, homely, quiet, naïve little angel like her.

How stupid was she?

Her love was a hopeless love …

Koryu would never love someone like her.

He had all of the demons in Hell pining over him, every one of them much more beautiful, much more powerful, much more … _everything_ … than her. She was nothing compared to them. Even out of all of the angels, she was nowhere near as beautiful as someone, say, like Hisui, or as wise and strong as Touki. She was nothing. Ah hell, there were probably millions of _humans _that Koryu would prefer over her.

And yet … the dream she had had last night … it had seemed so real … so _tangible _…

Her dream … about Koryu …

She had dreamed that he had kissed her, standing in the garden under the moonlight. It had been a soft, gentle kiss … and then he had pulled away and had started to leave, disappearing into the garden. She hadn't wanted him to stop …

So she had run after him. Then _she _had given _him _a kiss.

A kiss much more passionate than the one he had given her. He had collapsed (how strange of him …) and then she had collapsed with him, laying half on top of him, kissing his face and his neck, and then his lips again …

His soft, warm lips.

"Hey!"

Kohaku turned and gasped as her eyes fell upon a startling scene: Kokuyo soaking yet, his eyes flashing angrily. She had sprayed him with the hose.

"Watch what you're doing, will ya?" he growled.

"Kokuyo!" Kohaku cried, immediately redirecting the water towards the trees. "I'm so sorry!" She rushed to turn off the hose.

"What were you thinking about that you didn't watch what you were doing?" Kokuyo asked as he pulled off his shirt and began wringing it.

"N-Nothing … I'm just a little … _distracted _lately," Kohaku responded, knowing full well that this did not answer his question in the slightest.

"Uh-hm." Kokuyo went inside, his wet shirt slung over his shoulder.

Kohaku turned to the birds that had gathered around her. They seemed to be chirping things like, "What was that all about?" and "What's wrong, Kohaku?"

"It's nothing," Kohaku said sadly. "It's just a hopeless love."

---

Koryu was on the couch in the living room. Kokuyo had come inside a few minutes ago claiming that Kohaku had sprayed him with the hose when Koryu had inquired as to why he was all wet. He and Hisui had decided to spend the day at the park once Kokuyo had dried off. Koryu had no idea where Hari and Ruri had run off to, and Kohaku was in the backyard.

So now Koryu was all alone in the house, sprawled out on the couch in the living room. He twirled a lock of raven hair around his finger, lost in thought.

He wasn't really thinking about anything in particular; his mind was simply wandering.

But he was snapped out of his musings by a tug in the back of his mind. He sat up, looking around. The mental pull got stronger, and he stood. He found his feet leading him to Kohaku's room, every nerve in his body tingling.

Who was calling him?

He walked warily into Kohaku's room, his light footsteps making no sound as he tread across the wooden floorboards towards her bed. He stood beside it, surveying the room, his hands on his hips. The pull was gone. This was where the summoner wanted him.

So where were they?

Suddenly, a ring of black light materialized on the floor a little ways away from where Koryu stood. There were runic inscriptions around the edge of the ring. Koryu recognized the inscriptions; they were the symbols of the transportation spell.

But who was coming up from Hell … and why?

A hazy silhouette appeared in the center of the ring. After a moment or so, the image sharpened and the silhouette was washed with color.

It was a female demon, one Koryu didn't recognize … surprisingly.

She had long, fiery hair that fell in loose waves to her waist, accenting her piercing orange eyes. Her skin was pale, smooth and flawless as glass, and her lips were cherry-red, currently curved up in a mocking smirk. A scarlet robe hung from her well-proportioned frame, the neckline teasingly low, and the bottom seductively high, a black cord tied around the middle. Her feet were bare, save for the gold anklets that matched the bangles on her wrists. She smelled sickeningly sweet, like roses.

All roses, however beautiful, had thorns.

"Satan demands your return to Hell," was the first thing she said, her voice silky and alluring, as she stepped from the circle, which immediately disappeared.

Koryu frowned. "Who are you? You're not His normal messenger."

"No, I'm not. I was assigned specially to this mission." The she-demon smiled wickedly, revealing her fangs. She took another step towards him. "Satan wants you back in Hell. You've been gone for thirty long years," she said. "With Kokuyo exiled, you're the second strongest demon, and Satan needs you by his side. He's been waiting patiently, anticipating your eventual return, but now he's tired of waiting."

Koryu took a step back, bumping into Kohaku's bed. "I have no reason to return, and every reason to stay here," he said definitely.

"The angel?" the other asked. Koryu found no trace of surprise in her voice, only amusement. "Forget about her."

It was Koryu's turn to smirk, his face set in a defiant expression. "No."

The other demon took a few more steps towards him, closing the small gap between them. She placed her hands on his chest and pushed him onto the bed with surprising force.

"What the hell do you think you're doing!" Koryu shouted angrily.

The other jumped onto the bed where Koryu was now laying and straddled over his waist, leaning down to whisper in his ear, "I can give you what the angel can't." The collar of her robe fell a little ways down her left shoulder, revealing a black tattoo.

"I don't want anything you –" Koryu glimpsed the markings on the demon's shoulder. He drew a sharp breath. "You're a succubus!"

The succubus grinned wickedly.

Succubi are evil entities that sexually attack male humans. The incubus is the male counterpart to the succubus, preying on women rather than men. To _demons_, succubi are the equivalents to mortal prostitutes, harmless, desirable, and usually entertaining.

Koryu understood why Satan had sent a succubus to deliver his message. Any resistance to his orders would be met with sensual temptation. He was trying to force Kohaku from Koryu's mind, trying to make Koryu forget about his love for her and remind him of the pleasurable, easy life he used to live in Hell.

He wouldn't be swayed that easily.

"Get off of me!" Koryu demanded.

The succubus responded by tearing open his shirt and kissing his neck, running her tongue over his collarbone, and trailing down his chest with hungry kisses. Millions of pleasurable shocks coursed through Koryu's body, but he knew it was just the succubus's spell … nothing more.

He grabbed her neck and tried to push her away, but succubi were particularly strong demons, and she wouldn't move, nor did she stop groping the demon beneath her.

"That angel is a little girl compared to me," the she-demon whispered against the warm flesh of his breast. "And on top of that … she doesn't love you."

Koryu flinched, as if her words had stung him.

Finally, flustered and aggravated, Koryu raised his palm and gathered his energy there. His eyes flashed angrily, and electricity crackled through the air. "_INAZUMASHOURA!_" A bolt of energy was thrown at the succubus, hitting her square in the chest, and she flew back, landing on the floor with a thud.

"Ow!" she groaned, rubbing her sore behind.

"That was the simplest spell I know," Koryu warned, sitting up. "Next time, I won't go so easy on you."

"I was just following orders!" the other demon whined.

Koryu glared daggers at her, his garnet eyes glittering with hate. "Satan's not here right now. I'm the demon in charge and you follow _my _orders."

"Hmph." The succubus crossed her arms, pouting.

That was when Koryu heard a scream flare from the backyard. "What the –?" He jumped up and started towards the door.

The succubus scrambled to her feet and blocked his way. "No! You can't – Agh!"

Koryu grabbed her by the neck and threw her into the wall, adrenaline coursing through his veins. "If anything happens to Kohaku," he hissed as he stepped into the hallway, "you're going to be the first to die."

Koryu darted down the hall and hurried towards the backyard.

"Shit!" the succubus muttered through gritted teeth. "This is not good. I'm outta here."

She conjured a transportation ring and stepped inside, instantly disappearing.


	9. Chapter 9

**Garnet & Amber **

_XO'MagickMoon'OX_

* * *

**I Love You … **

"What do you want?" Kohaku whimpered.

"Satan has demanded your _permanent removal_ from this world," one of the demons surrounding her replied.

There were five demons floating in a circle around her. They were powerful demons, each strong enough to stay in their original form all of the time, like Koryu. They had ambushed her while she was tending to the garden, knocking her to her knees and placing her at their mercy.

She was no magician, not a warrior … completely helpless.

"God, please help me," she began to pray, tears rimming her amber eyes.

"Don't waste your breath!" a female, violet-eyed demon laughed. "He's not going to help you!"

"B-But why? Why are you doing this to me?" she asked.

"Because you are chaining Koryu to this realm, and Satan needs him back in Hell," another explained.

"I … I d-did what!" Kohaku gasped. "What are you talking about?"

One of the demons flung his dark hair behind him, sighing wearily. "Ugh … this is a waste of time. Let's just get this damn thing over with!"

The demons nodded to one another and held their palms towards the angel cowering before them. They recited:

"_INAZUMA YASHUU!_"

A blinding light engulfed the area, and energy shot through the air with a deafening crack.

Kohaku closed her eyes stinging with tears. _This is it, _she thought. _Koryu, I …_

"_BAKUEN GOUKA!_"

The light faded, and a smothering stillness settled into the area. Startled, Kohaku looked up.

Koryu was standing in front of her, his hands raised towards the sky. A shield of swirling light was slowly dissolving into the air. His breath was panicked and heavy, his body trembling.

He had blocked the attacks.

His arms fell to his sides, and he collapsed to his knees. He peered over his shoulder at Kohaku.

"You … all right … bubblehead?" he asked, forcing a weak smile.

He didn't feel like smiling. He felt like crying. Had he gotten here one second later …

He turned around on his knees so that he was completely facing the angel. Falling forward, he wrapped his arms around her.

"…" Kohaku was speechless. She felt him tremble harder, his body racked with … sobs?

He buried his face in her chest, stroking her flaxen hair, holding her as if he'd never let her go.

"K-Koryu," the angel mustered warily. What was wrong with him? She'd _never _seen him cry. Never.

"I'm not going to lose you," Koryu sobbed, his voice muffled against her chest. "I'm not going to lose you … not again!"

"A-Again?" she muttered, baffled.

"What's the meaning of this? Where is the succubus? She was supposed to be keeping you busy!" one of the now-enraged demons cried.

But Koryu didn't respond. He just held Kohaku tighter, his sobbing now reduced to silent tears. Kohaku pushed him away a little and cupped his face in her hand. She forced him to look up at her, to look her in the eyes. She leaned in and kissed the tears on his cheeks, his flushed face warm beneath her lips.

As she went to pull away he slipped his hand behind her neck, holding her in place. He shifted his head so that their lips met. She was surprised and tense at first, but then gave in and kissed him back, her heart racing.

Koryu felt his stomach flutter. Her lips were soft and warm against his, her touch gentle as she wrapped her arm around his back, pulling him closer. He ran his fingers through her golden locks, savoring the taste of her lips …

Vanilla.

He gasped, pulling away. "K-Kohaku!"

Kohaku blushed. Had she done something wrong?

"It was you last night!"

"L-Last night?" Kohaku repeated, not sure what he was talking about. Before Koryu could say another word, Kohaku looked up and cried, "Watch out!"

Koryu turned and jumped up just in time to block another onset of attacks.

He looked back to the angel, pulling her to her feet. He held her against him and nuzzled his face in her soft hair. "I'm not going to lose you again," he repeated in a soft whisper, tears returning to his eyes.

Kohaku smiled. She felt safe in his arms, a place she had been longing to be for a while now. He was so warm, so gentle …

She closed her eyes. Her surroundings seemed to ripple and fade, no smells but that of Koryu's sweet, calming scent, no feelings but the love in her heart and Koryu's arms around her, no sounds but the rhythmic beating of Koryu's heart …

Which was pounding faster than normal at the moment.

She was pulled back to reality by the scornful outbursts from the other demons.

"Koryu! You bastard! We have direct orders from Satan! Either you come back to Hell or the angel dies!" the violet-eyed vixen shouted.

"I'm not liking either of those options," Koryu responded sharply despite his fatigue.

Blocking so many powerful attacks at once was taking a great toll on him. Were these demons any regular underlings, they would've been no problem.

But these demons were just as strong as he.

Also, his magic was tied to his emotions. The more intense his emotions, the stronger his magic. The more strained and twisted his emotions, the more strained and twisted his magic. And right now, after almost losing Kohaku, his emotions were jumping around from fear to anger to sorrow to pain to relief to love … he couldn't keep his head straight, let alone his magic.

The emotional strain was also taking a toll on his physical endurance and strength.

So, with three factors working against him, Koryu was not in a very good position.

The demons began to gather their energy again, preparing for another attack. Koryu couldn't help but groan wearily.

Kohaku looked worriedly up at the demon. She turned to the others and demanded angrily, "Leave him alone!"

They just laughed.

The resounding sounds of their mocking laughter sent a wave of white-hot rage flooding through Kohaku's body. She'd never felt such anger before.

"Kohaku," Koryu said. "You have to leave … run. I can … hold them off for a little longer."

But it was too late.

The demons fired their attacks:

"_INAZUMA YASHUU!_"

Kohaku raised her palms. "_FUEN FUBOO!_"

Light shot from her fingertips, swirling around her and Koryu in white torrents, blocking the demonic spells. Her eyes widened, her jaw dropping at her own power. She could scarcely breath as she watched the demon's spells ricochet off of her shield and dissolve into nothing. Kohaku had never felt so much power before emanating from herself. It was an incredible feeling.

She felt Koryu collapse to his knees, clinging desperately to her shirt. She kneeled down with him and hugged him tight.

Now it was _her_ turn to protect _him_.

Once the light had faded, Kohaku looked up. The demons were furious, preparing yet another attack.

"I won't let you hurt him!" Kohaku shouted. She felt Koryu's labored breathing against her chest, his trembling body. His eyes were closed, but she was sure he was still conscious.

He was in no condition to fight.

She'd have to take them on her own.

"_INAZU_ –"

A deafening crack followed by a burst of blinding light filled the area. Kohaku shielded her eyes, and the demons shrieked.

"That's enough!" a familiar voice boomed.

The angel looked up. "Master Ransho!" She smiled, such relief filling her heart that she thought it would carry her away on a cloud.

The Angel Master smiled, slowly descending, followed closely behind by Touki and Ryuki.

"Angels!" a dark-haired demon hissed.

"Angel Masters!" the violet-eyed one amended, her voice wavering with fear.

They were strong, but they were no match for three archangels.

"Leave!" Touki commanded the demons, her voice tight and her tone formidable.

They seemed to show a small flicker of defiance before Ryuki glared daggers at them. That was when their common sense got the better of them, and they fled.

Kohaku stared. "W-What are you doing here?" she asked, trying to make her question sound as respectful as possible.

"Kohaku, did you really think that God would let you down?" Ransho asked.

Kohaku paled. "N-No! Never!"

"Calm down. It wasn't an accusation," Touki said.

Ransho explained, "God wanted to test your love for Koryu, and vice versa. He knew what Satan was scheming, and he had complete and total faith in your feelings for the demon. He knew that neither of your would let anything happen to the other."

"You see, angels and demons aren't supposed to be together," Ryuki said, his voice tight as Hisui flashed through his mind. He shook the image away. "But in matters of true love, there are exceptions."

"But God has to be sure of the true love before He can allow such a couple to be together," Touki added. "He knew what Satan was plotting, and He let it go rather than putting a stop to it in the beginning, using Satan's plan as a test for Himself. He only intervened when He was sure of His decision."

"Which is to let you and Koryu be together," Ransho said gently with a warm smile.

Kohaku beamed, looking down at the demon in her arms. Joyous tears blurred her vision. "Thank you," she whispered softly.

The Angel Masters nodded and returned to Heaven, leaving the two alone in the yard.

Koryu's eyes flickered open. He was breathing normally again, and he had stopped shaking for the most part, but he was still weary.

"K-Kohaku," he said, forcing himself to sit up. "I … I need to tell you something."

Kohaku nodded, smiling at the raven-haired demon the smile he so adored …

The smile she saved for when she was truly happy.

"I love you."

"I need to tell _you _something," Kohaku said softly. She leaned in and kissed him gently on the lips. Pulling away, she finished, "I love you, too."


	10. Chapter 10

**Garnet & Amber**

_XO'MagickMoon'OX_

* * *

**Together At Last …**

Koryu and Kohaku sat in peaceful silence in the garden, Koryu's head resting in the lap of his beloved angel …

Yes, _his _beloved angel …

He finally had her, and he was never going to let her go.

The demons were gone, and the archangels had returned to Heaven. Kokuyo and Hisui were still out, Ruri and Hari … God only knows what they were up to.

"Kohaku," Koryu said.

"Mm?" She looked down at him.

"Thank you … for protecting me … back there. I never would've made it without you."

Kohaku blushed. "Oh … uh … I … really didn't do much. Most of the time, it was _you _protecting _me_, and I wouldn't have made it either had Master Ransho, Master Touki, and Master Ryuki not shown up."

Koryu shifted, nestling himself further into Kohaku's embrace. "But still … it took a lot of power and courage … and love." Her words still echoed through his mind, _"I won't let you hurt him!" _

"Koryu … what did you mean when you said that you wouldn't lose me again?" Kohaku asked, turning her eyes back to look straight ahead. She began absentmindedly stroking the demon's soft, ebony locks.

"Oh … eh …" Now it was he who blushed, though Kohaku, her gaze aimed elsewhere, didn't notice. "I just meant that … well … I lost you once before … when you decided to wait for Shuichiro to be reincarnated. I lost you again when he was reborn. That time, his soul leaking from his body was no distraction, and I felt the jealousy I should've felt one hundred years prior. You spent all of your time with him, and I felt so … shunned, neglected, aband –"

He stopped when he heard Kohaku's muffled sob. He looked up as a tear fell from her cheek onto his brow.

"K-Kohaku …"

"I'm sorry," she wept. "I didn't know it hurt you so much."

Koryu was taken aback. "I … I wasn't accusing you of anything. I just … wanted to answer your question."

The angel nodded, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"And when you were sick," Koryu continued, seeing that Kohaku had calmed down, "you almost … died, and that was the third time I had almost lost you. I had never been so scared, and all I could do was wish every night for you to just get better."

"Well, at least I was able to answer that wish before it was too late, this time," Kohaku said, forcing a feeble smile.

Koryu couldn't help but smile as well, though his was less half-hearted than hers. He continued, "If I had really lost you this time … I don't know what I would've done."

Kohaku nodded, absentmindedly brushing her fingertips over his cheek, her eyes staring again into the distance. He held her hand against his cheek, savoring the feel of her warm flesh against his. He was enveloped in her sweet scent … vanilla.

"What did you mean when you said 'It was you last night'?" Kohaku asked.

"Y-You don't remember?" He looked up at her.

She looked down so that their eyes met. She shook her head, her expression one of honest puzzlement.

Koryu took a deep breath. "You don't remember _anything_?"

"Well, I did have a dream …"

"About what?" Koryu asked, figuring she wasn't going to tell him unless he prodded.

Kohaku blushed fiercely. "Er … of you."

An impish smile graced the demon's lips. "And what was I doing?"

"We … We were in the garden … and you kissed me … gently, softly, and then pulled away," Kohaku answered tentatively.

"And then …?" Koryu urged.

Kohaku closed her eyes and, in one breath, blurted, "And then you started to walk away and I ran after you and kissed you back more passionately than you had kissed me and then you collapsed and then I fell down with you and continued to kiss you and then you disappeared and I was all alone in the garden."

Koryu couldn't help but burst into laughter. He sat up, holding his sides and laughing incessantly.

Kohaku's blush, if at all possible, deepened, and she bowed her head in humiliation "Why are you laughing at me?" she whimpered.

Koryu stopped. He sat there, trying to catch his breath and wiping his eyes, before saying, "I'm not laughing at _you_, bubblehead! I'm laughing at … the irony of life."

"What irony?"

"What if I told you that your dream wasn't really _all _that much of a dream?" he asked, inching closer to her.

She looked baffled. "What are you talking about?"

Koryu suppressed another laugh. "That night, I snuck into your room and stole a kiss from you while you were sleeping. That was the first kiss in your dream. And then I left the room and was standing in the hallway when _someone _came up behind me and pulled me into a _very passionate_ kiss. That was the second kiss in your dream." His eyes glittering, he said, "You were _sleepwalking_!"

Kohaku gasped. "Wh-What did I do?"

"Anything that you did in your dream," Koryu answered, laying back on the grass beside the angel, folding his arms behind his head.

As Kohaku thought back to her dream, Koryu watched with amusement as her expression became more and more embarrassed. Then, her eyes portrayed confusion as she wondered, "Why did you disappear in my dream?"

"Oh … uh …" Koryu averted his eyes, a pale pink tinting his face. "I fainted while you were kissing me."

Now it was Kohaku's turn to laugh. "You _fainted_? _You_!"

Koryu glared at her. "Yeah, so what?"

Kohaku's giggling quelled. "Well, I'm sure that you've …" She paused. "…that you've … done much more than kissing with … others. I know that you used to take lover after lover, and you always had Ruri and Hari when you couldn't find anyone to … eh … sleep with you."

Koryu again looked away. "Yeah … well …" He fidgeted under the awkward silence that was descending upon them. "But … But with _them _it wasn't the same. There were two things working against me when you kissed me." He rolled over on his side and rested his head in his palm. Kohaku sat with her arms wrapped around her legs, the side of her head resting on her knees. The two stared at each other for a moment before Koryu spoke again.

"When you kissed me, your divine purity was a bit overwhelming. Actually, it's the same for any demon that does anything like that with an angel. But that's usually no problem. What made _your _kiss so overwhelming was … well … you know about the Seven Deadly Sins, right?"

The angel nodded, her eyes never leaving Koryu's as he talked.

"Well, demons are empowered by the Sins. Usually, when I would … do anything … with other demons, or humans, or even angels … rarely, Lust – one of the Sins – gave me the upper hand, made me the dominant one in the situation. You know that Love is the pure counterpart to Lust, right? Well, when _you _kissed me, Love overpowered Lust, giving _you _the upper hand. So, your angelic purity doubled with your love overwhelmed me … and I fainted."

"Too _pure_ for you, am I?" Kohaku teased, smiling.

"Yeah," Koryu said, sitting up. "But it's no problem anymore." He leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on her lips.

She smiled as he pulled away and wrapped his arms around her. They sat there, the afternoon sun peeking out from behind a gray storm cloud, smiling down at them with warm rays of light.

---

"Noooooo! Master Koryu!" Hari whined.

Ruri hit her sister on the back of the head. "Quiet! Besides, how can you complain? It's so sweet!"

"Yeah, but now he's going to spend all of his time with _her _instead of us!" Hari whispered.

The two demons watched Kohaku and Koryu in the yard from the window, Hisui and Kokuyo standing behind them.

"So I guess they were okay, after all," Kokuyo said.

"Did you doubt God's judgment?" Hisui smiled.

"That old bastard's crazy," Kokuyo muttered, resulting in a frown from his lover. "Sorry."

"Although, I admit that when Ransho told us what would happen and that we had to leave for a little while, I had my own doubts, however fleeting," Hisui added.

"Aw, we knew Master Koryu could take those demons!" Hari exclaimed, her cat tail swishing behind her.

"Yeah! He's the strongest demon in Hell now!" Ruri chimed in, pawing the air enthusiastically.

"But he didn't defeat them," Hisui said. "Kohaku saved him once after he saved her twice, and then the Angel Masters intervened before the demons could take it further."

"How do you know this?" Kokuyo asked.

"Oh, Ryuki sent me a messenger shortly after the little battle, telling me everything that had happened."

"You mean that dove that interrupted us at the park?" Kokuyo wondered. "That was his messenger?"

Hisui nodded, a pleasant smile lighting her face.

The four turned back to the window as Kohaku and Koryu began to get up and make their way inside. The sky was gray; it was sure to rain later.

---

That night Koryu lay on his futon mattress with Ruri and Hari. The two female demons cuddled next to their master, enjoying being by his side again …

Even if he _did _now have Kohaku.

"Master Koryu?" Hari murmured sleepily.

"Mm?"

"Are you all right now?" Ruri chimed in, following her sister's train of thought.

He looked down at his servants. "What are you talking about?"

"Before," Hari said, "you were really upset and tense and moody. Now that you have Kohaku, are you all right?"

Koryu smiled. "Yeah. I'm okay."

"Good." Ruri nuzzled her nose against Koryu's bare side (he had taken off the shirt that the succubus had torn, not bothering to conjure a new one, being that his magic was still exhausted).

It wasn't long before the twins were fast asleep. That was when Koryu snuck out of bed and stealthily made his way to Kohaku's room.

Standing by her bedside, he gazed down at her. The moon was a sliver outside her window, the cool autumn breeze carrying in the sweet smell of rain as it fell silently outside. He took a deep breath and smiled. The wind caressed the angel's face, rustling her silky hair as she slept.

She was so beautiful.

He walked around to the other side of her bed and crawled in with her, wrapping his arm around her. He felt her shift, heard her groan as she awoke.

"Koryu?" she mumbled tiredly.

"Yes."

The angel smiled, rolling over to face the demon, suddenly very awake. His smile, in turn, widened, still with his arm wrapped around her. She leaned in and pressed her lips against his. He happily accepted the kiss, rolling onto his back and pulling Kohaku with him so that she lay half on and half off the demon. He felt her tongue brush against his lips, and he parted them in invitation. Running his fingers through her golden locks, he kept his other arm wrapped protectively around her.

She was his angel.

He would never let anything happen to her.

Kohaku pulled away for air, breathing heavily. Koryu found himself in the same state, but he hadn't wanted the kiss to end.

Oh well.

He was sure there'd be many more.

"Koryu," Kohaku whispered, running her fingers across the bare flesh of his chest and abdomen.

"Yeah?" he whispered back, brushing her flaxen bangs away from her face.

"I love you."

The demon smiled. "I love you, too."

Kohaku nestled her head in the crook of his neck, curling up against him, and he hugged her tight. He laid his head back on the pillow and listened to the soft breathing of the angel and the quiet pitter-patter of the rain outside the widow before falling asleep, only to dream of his beloved, as she was surely doing as well.

-End-

* * *

**A/N:**

Yeah! I finished! Hope you all enjoyed!

I want to thank my loyal reviewers …

-----

**alheana:** my first reviewer! Thanks for your enthusiasm and support! Hope to see some of your work some day!

**little-owl082:** my second reviewer! Thanks, too, for your reviews. Kenshin rocks!

**MistressMoonDemon:** my third and most loyal reviewer! Thanks for your helpful support and encouragement. I love _The Letter_! Still waiting for another update! SetoxSerenity Thanks for being so sweet and supportive! Please keep writing your fics!

**Silent Sage:** my fellow Wish fanfiction writer! Thanks, too, for your support. I love _A Demon's Angel _… such a sweet fiction! I hope there's an update soon. Also, _Nothing Like Him_, _Sweet Slumber_, _Contrary Cards _… all awesome! Keep writing!

**nouqhou:** Thanks goes to you too! Very enthusiastic and encouraging! Hope you write some fics soon!

**hellish-angel2003:** Thanks for your reviews. Sorry … never heard of _Slayers_, so I didn't read any of your work, but I'm sure it's awesome! Thanks again!

**HinataHyuugaHyuuga: **Thanks for your support! I've never read _Naruto _… but I bet your fics are awesome, too. Thanks for your encouragement!

**leonsalanna: **Thanks goes to you, as well. Thanks for reviewing … despite the confusion with the chapters … any way. I loved _I Have A Question, Padfoot_ … it was so amazing! Your writing is awesome … keep it up! Thanks again!

XOXO … _XO'MagickMoon'OX _


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